Students create solutions for Bristol Waste

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Rubbish ideas: Students create domestic waste solutions for city of Bristol

A group of second and third year design students from Bath Spa University’s Bath School of Art and Design have developed innovative domestic waste solutions as part of a challenge set by Bristol Waste.

Through its partnership with the University, Bristol Waste tasked the students with designing a means for storing waste or recycling, to address the issue of wheelie bins and recycling boxes that are permanently housed on the street, obstructing pavements and attracting vermin.

The students researched potential solutions by working closely with local bin manufacturers, Leafield Environmental, the company behind the design and production of all the University’s existing waste bins. They also visited recycling plants and engaged with community members in the Bedminster area of Bristol before pitching their ideas to Bristol Waste as part of their course.

Julia Keyte, Course Leader for BA Furniture and Product Design at Bath Spa University, said: “We were delighted to have the opportunity to work with Bristol Waste to help tackle household waste collection and recycling in Bristol. Students welcomed the challenge of interrogating the significant issue and this project allowed them the freedom to explore, explode, challenge, define and respond to the problem with autonomy, while also giving them an insight into their potential future careers.”

Third year design student, Samantha Hollingham, added: “The Bristol Waste project was an exciting brief which gave us the opportunity to work with a variety of professionals and companies. It was great to design something for the 'real world', working to solve an issue that affects real people.

“My solution was a bin lid made out of waterproof and durable materials, which could be removed and personalised by the user. The idea of the lid was to protect the materials inside of the bins, which are valuable to recycling plants. I also felt my solution could help brighten up streets. My design knowledge has expanded a huge amount as a result of this experience and I’m excited to take my newfound skills forward onto my next projects.”

Students from the University’s BA Business and Enterprise course were also involved in the community engagement and enterprise aspects of the project, as well as Suez, the global waste management company.

Interested in studying BA Furniture and Product Design?

The BA Furniture and Product Design course at Bath Spa University is an exciting degree programme for individuals motivated by making. Students on the course develop individual design vision through purposeful briefs, materials and scales, taught by industry professionals. Visit the course page to find out more.